Going Home
by EmiNayla
Summary: Ash is returning home to Pallet... What will he find there? It's Palletshipping, ShiShi or whatever you call it. It's slash. My first story please review!


Okay, so, this is my first real try at a fanfic, and it's also one of my first real tries at English. Please point out any mistakes, but be gentle. '

It's a Palletshipping fic, meaning it's slash. Because slash is the best. It's Ash's POV and... yeah, that's about it.

Enjoy, and please review. :)

I was going home.

It was a strange feeling, actually, to return to Pallet after all these years. I had been on short visits occasionally, but this time was different since I was planning to stay, for at least a month.

As I was walking up the much familiar hill to my home town, I could not help but smile. It would be great to see everyone again. Pikachu gave a small chirp of happiness once we could fully see the view of the little city, and left his usual place on my shoulder and jumped to the ground. He went before me towards my house.

Every sight was so familiar. The morning sun shone brightly over the houses and fields, making the town look warm and inviting. The air was still crisp to breathe, and the stars had not fully disappeared from the sky.

It was unusually quiet. It took some time for me to realize that, but I did not ponder over it. It was early morning, after all, and most people would be asleep.

Pikachu was at the door of my house long before I was. I had a key, of course, which I used to unlock the door. My footsteps broke the silence within the house as I walked into the kitchen, in purpose of search for something edible.

There was a note on the refrigerator, held in place by a magnet shaped like a star, coloured in bright orange. I had told my mother I was coming, so I assumed the message was for me. I removed it from the white surface before reading the words.

"Ash,

visiting a friend. Home by lunch.

Love, mum"

I almost felt offended since she was off on the day of my arrival, but I did not care so much about it. I was way too happy to let anything sadden my mind.

I opened the refrigerator and took out the ingredients for a sandwich. I also poured up some ketchup in a little bowl for my electric mouse, much to his delight.

After eating I felt like going for a walk. Pikachu was not done with the ketchup and I honestly did not dare to disturb him, so I left him by himself. I went out of the house, but I kind of got stuck at the spot and did not go any further. I leaned against the closed door and just stood there, watching.

The stars were all gone now, and the sun had risen higher on the bright blue sky. The sounds of Pokémon in the forest was soft and relaxing, as was the warmth of the brilliant sun and the cool breeze. I stood like that, lost in thought, for a very long time.

A movement captured my eyes after some time, I did not now how long. I moved my head slightly and fixed my gaze on a figure standing with the sunlight at his or her back, making it difficult for me to see. We were both silent.

It felt like several minutes had passed when I could see who the person was – my rival, Gary. I was surprised to see him here. His rust-coloured hair was maybe and inch shorter than when I last had seen him, and he also wore other clothes. A pair of dark gray jeans and a forest green T-shirt, which suited him. On his feet he had a couple of white sneakers. Around his neck he still had that green and yellow necklace.

He took maybe three steps toward me, without saying anything. The distance was maybe three or four feet. I moved slightly, dropping my bodyweight on my other leg. I felt like I had to break the silence.

"Gary", I said, speaking quieter than usual.

He nodded, before answering me with a short "Ash."

I looked at him. He seemed smaller than he used to be – maybe because he was not taking space as he used to. He seemed almost uncertain, the way he was standing and looking at his right hand.

"What are you doing here?" I asked after a moments hesitation. It felt strange talking to him without the usual insults, and it felt even stranger since it was something I had missed. I was inwardly crouched, ready to take a stinging comment, as always when he was around. But it did not seem like this conversation was to be another one with hateful words.

"The same thing as you, obviously", was his response. He sounded... shy, almost, which was very weird to hear. But it could not be described as shy, either.

I lifted my cap with one hand and ran the other trough my hair. I was really unsure in this situation. I did not know what to say, or do. But something was really off with Gary, and I needed to know what. Partly because I was a curious person but mostly because I cared. I always missed the friendship we had had and I still wondered what caused him to break with me. I still cared for him.

There was silence again, for maybe half a minute, which felt like and eternity. I had never shifted my gaze from him, and during that eternity all he had done was stand and looking into the forest.

"Gary, what's wrong?"

He immediately seemed alerted. His muscles tensed, and he opened his mouth to answer but shook his head instead, apparently to himself. He then shifted his eyes to my cap, I still held it in my left hand, and said:

"Why would anything be wrong?"

I had to think that over: I honestly did not know, but something just seemed wrong.

"You're different. Something must have happened", was what I said after several seconds.

"Well, nothing's happened." He sounded as if he wanted to avoid the question. His voice was sharp again, in a 'back-off' kind of way.

"Why don't you just tell me?" I asked him, not intimidated by his tone. Something was obviously very, very wrong. Otherwise he would not have been so sensitive around the subject.

"It's none of you business, Ash." All of a sudden, his voice was sad. Like he did not have hope about something. I stared at him.

Then it hit me: he was avoiding my eyes. Not once had he met my glance.

Why? This problem he had, was he ashamed of it? Or did it have to do with me?

"Why... I mean, why did you come here then? If you didn't want to talk?"

"Maybe I didn't come here to talk, you moron."

He said it in a defensive way. The remark at the end was supposed to make me abandon the whole thing, but I was not going to do so.

"What the hell, Gary. Just tell me and get it over with."

"I won't. Don't you think I'd tell _you._"

"Why not?"

I could almost see him surrender. I did not know why he had so easily, but he did. He swallowed visibly and looked me in the eyes for the first time since he had arrived. What I saw in his brown eyes shocked me, because there was such a mass of emotions, most of them sad. I felt such sympathy for him then, and wondered what it was that had caused him so much sorrow and pain – because there was pain.

His words was barely above the tone of a whisper when he uttered his next words:

"You wouldn't understand."

It sounded as if he had given up. As if there was no hope for him at all. I inwardly winced at his tone.

"What makes you think that?"

I was genuinely concerned about him, and I deeply wanted to know what was troubling him.

Ha gave a soft laugh, but it was not a happy one. It was almost depressing to hear it.

"You hate me. I made sure of that. You don't really care anyway, and I know... I know you wouldn't understand."

He looked down at the ground near my feet. I just stood there, astounded, before I urged my response.

"I don't hate you, Gary! I never would! I thought you were the one who hated me. Hell, I still wonder what happened with us. I care for you, you idiot, and I want to know what's wrong."

I watched as he met my gaze again. Was there hope in his eyes now? Why would there be? I was confused, I did not understand him.

I took a few steps towards him, so that we were standing just one foot apart. He was slightly taller than me, so I had do look up at him. He looked like he wanted to get away from me, or at least walk back and regain the distance we had before, but instead he bit his lip and looked down at my cap.

"Gary, please, tell me."

I had never before seen him this way. It scared me to some extent, but mostly I just wanted him to share his problems with me so we could work together to fix them.

But Gary shook his head and looked into my eyes with his brown, which was uncertain. I could almost see his inner debate.

"You wouldn't understand", he said again, his voice so low I almost could not hear it.

I put my free hand on his upper arm. He seemed almost horrified at the touch. "Try me", I said softly.

He bit his lip before giving a weak nod. I was satisfied and expected him to talk, but instead, he closed the distance between us and covered my lips with his own. The kiss was warm and honest, and I didn't know what to do. I just stood there. As soon as Gary realized this, he broke away from me and turned to walk away.

I looked after him, shocked. He had kissed me. It took a while before I understood what it had meant, and what it had meant to _me_.

I ran after him, stopping before him and blocking his path, searching for his eyes. "Gary", I said silently, begging him to look at me. He did, and he looked so down, so defeated.

"What?" was his single-word question. His voice was broken.

I said nothing. I just returned the kiss he had given me earlier.

Yep, that's it. Hope you had fun reading this, or something. Please review this, I really need it. Plus, if you review, you'll make me happy. Who doesn't want me to be happy?


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